The present invention relates to a physical training apparatus and method for training persons such as athletes or physical therapy patients to improve various motor skills. More particularly, it relates to a physical training apparatus and method for providing forces of either constant or varying magnitude opposing the motion of a single or multiple points on the body of the trainee while performing slow or high speed movements.
Physical training and conditioning have long been recognized as desirable for improving various motor skills to thereby improve the performance of an athlete, the rehabilitation of a physical therapy patient, or the overall physical well-being of the trainee. Training with resistance while performing specific movements with the body has been found to be very effective in improving various physical abilities such as functional strength, running speed, first-step quickness, jumping ability, and kicking ability. Such resistance training is increasingly becoming favored over training with heavy weights using slow non-sports specific motions.
For example, if an athlete wants to run faster it has been found to be more beneficial to apply light resistance to the leg muscles while running than by performing a press with the legs with heavy weights. Both of these training methods will strengthen the leg muscles of the athlete, however, the high-speed training by providing light resistance while running allows the athlete to generate more power at high speeds since the muscle is conditioned with resistance at high speeds. Training the muscles using slow movement with resistance promotes power generation at slow speeds since the muscle is conditioned at slow speeds. Both training methods are important to most athletes. However, for athletic performance optimization at high speeds the muscles must be physically and neurologically trained at high speeds. The term “training vector” as used herein shall mean a force opposing the motion of a portion of a trainee through a predetermined range of motion. The magnitude and direction of a training vector may be relatively constant or may vary through the predetermined range of motion.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,968,028 and 4,863,163 entitled “Vertical Jump Exercise Apparatus” issued to the inventor of the present invention each disclose resistance training apparatus for vertical jump training and conditioning. The prior art system disclosed in the Wehrell patents illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, applies two training vectors having relatively constant magnitude to the hips of the trainee (see FIG. 1 through FIG. 4 showing training vectors 1A and 2A) for applying resistance to the legs while performing the jumping motion.
A later modification of the exercise apparatus disclosed in the Wehrell patents is shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the training vectors 1B and 2B provide relatively constant resistance to the back of the knees of a trainee performing a running motion by attaching the elastic members of the exercise apparatus to detachable leg harnesses 1 worn by the trainee. This embodiment provided resistance for training the hip flexors of the trainee at high speeds.
Many sports related movements involve multiple muscle groups moving multiple body parts simultaneously to perform the specific movement. For example, when an athlete jumps he or she uses the legs, back and arms simultaneously. To optimize training for a particular movement it is beneficial to train using a natural jumping motion while applying resistance to the legs, back and arms simultaneously. Such an exercise method would be more effective methods where resistance is only applied to the legs because it allows major muscle groups used in jumping to be fired in the proper neurological sequence with applied resistance.
While it was possible in the embodiment of the prior art exercise apparatus shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 to apply the training vectors 1A and 2A as well as 1B and 2B to the trainee performing a running motion, there remains a need for a physical training apparatus that applies training vectors to the hands and other points on the trainee's body for providing resistance to multiple muscle groups while performing complex sports specific movements such as jumping and running.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate many of the deficiencies in the prior art and to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method for providing training vectors of relatively constant magnitude to the hands of a trainee.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method for providing training vectors to multiple muscle groups of a trainee.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method for providing training vectors to the hands of a trainee in combination with providing training vectors to the thighs or hips of the trainee.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method for providing at least six training vectors to a trainee.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method for providing multiple training vectors to a trainee wherein two or more of the training vectors originate at different elevations above the surface supporting the trainee.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method for providing a training vector to a trainee wherein the origin of the training vector is variable in three dimensions.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method for providing a training vector using modules.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method wherein a modular change of the magnitude of a training vector may be achieved.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a novel physical training apparatus and method for providing multiple training vectors of relatively constant magnitude.
It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide a novel
It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide a novel It is a further additional object of the present invention to provide a novel
These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.